A Forgotten Kekkei Genkai
by Solaris Reborn
Summary: It is the chunin exams and an unknown ninja has shown up! what is his story? why is he so calm? and why does his chakra feel almost exactly like the Kyuubis? you'll have to read and find out. OC no pairings...yet.
1. Prologue

this is my first story, so be nice. comments are appreciated.

oh by the way there are spoilers in this and it is an OC story. no pairings...yet

Twelve years ago

Deep within the borders of the Fire Country, a fierce conflict had arisen. History would remember this as Konoha's darkest hour; the day that the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked the Leaf Village.

"Damn! I never thought that the Kyuubi would be so… strong! Is there any way to beat it?!" asked a 10-year-old Iruka.

"I don't know, but we have to protect Konoha at all costs! Failure is not an option!"

"Kakashi Hatake! You're here! Where is Lord Hokage?!" Iruka exclaimed.

"He's got his hands full. He's dealing with some rogue ninja just outside the south gate!"

"So, that means we're on our own? Damn, this day just keeps getting better and better!"

"I know what you mean! I don't think we can hold the Kyuubi off for very much longer!"

A sudden crash to their right confirmed their fears. Though the Leaf Ninja were fighting with everything they had, even their best efforts failed to even slow the Kyuubi, let alone drive it away. But… just as they were about to lose hope, another violent crash behind them restored their hope, for standing behind them was the Toad Boss, GamaBunta. And on top of GamaBunta stood…

"Lord Hokage!" Iruka cried.

"You have done well, Iruka. Kakashi, take Iruka and get out of here! This is no place for Genin!"

"As you wish… Sensei. Come on Iruka, let's get out of here."

Turning toward the Kyuubi, the 4th Hokage could see that something wasn't right. The Kyuubi and the 4th had been friends for a very long time and each had saved the other's life on several occasions. The Kyuubi's attack pattern wasn't normal. Usually, the Kyuubi fought to defend itself and its territory. Instead its attacks were overly destructive with no real target in mind. And then… the Kyuubi turned towards the 4th and GamaBunta, after which point it said;

"Minato! Help me!"

"What's wrong, Kyuubi?!" the 4th asked feverishly.

"I… am not myself. I am being used by…by an Uchi…ha. Even now, he freely wanders through my mind and I… I am unable to resist his influence. Minato, you must… find a way to… stop him. Otherwise, Konoha will be destroyed."

A bright flash presided over the entire battlefield. When the leaf shinobi could finally open their eyes again, the sight that assaulted them brought many sighs of relief. The Kyuubi was gone. But the cries that filled the battlefield were not ones of joy, but of sadness. The 4th hokage had fallen, and many shinobi wept over the loss of their beloved and cherished leader. The 4th had used a forbidden jutsu to seal the Kyuubi inside his only son, Naruto Uzumaki.


	2. Present Day

**Present Day**

It was the day of the chuunin exams and everyone was on edge. All except one unknown ninja who stood up against the fence that isolated the Forest of Death from the rest of Konoha. He had long, flowing white hair, which fell down to his upper back. His eyes were grey, with a scar running vertically across his left one. He was fitted out with black armor and boots, which was unusual because ninja normally wore sandals.

"That ninja over there hasn't said a word since the chuunin exams started. I'm going to go talk to him."

"Hold on, dobe. I'm coming too. He seems really strong, and I'd like to know who he is."

"I can take care of myself, Sasuke! You don't need to call me a dobe all the time either, baka!"

"Let's just get this over with. The less time I spend with you, the better. You inept loser!"

As they walked over to the mysterious figure, Naruto and Sasuke could both feel that something was not right. The ninja's chakra was… unnatural… evil, Almost like the Kyuubis'. As they came closer, the ninja suddenly stirred and looked in their direction.

"What do you want?" The ninja asked threateningly.

"We just wanted to know who you are, believe it!"

"My Name is Haji Ryumora, and that's all you need to know!"

"So, Haji…"

"So you are the Uchiha that I've heard so much about! I do hope that we do not meet in battle, for you would most assuredly die."

"What did you say?!"

"You heard me. Enough of this! The chuunin exams are about to start! You two better watch your backs. I sense that you will need to if you want to survive."


	3. The Exam Begins

**The Exam Begins!**

"Attention, all ninja! Please report back to your respective cells. The Second exam is about to begin!"

"I guess its time to get back to my team. Good luck… Genin."

"You heard the announcement, dobe. It's time to meet up with Sakura."

"I'm not deaf, baka! Let's just get this over with!"

"Now each team will be receiving one of these two scrolls, the scroll of heaven and the scroll of earth." A black-haired jonin declared. "You'll only receive one. But in order to pass this exam, you must fight other teams and claim the scroll that you do not have. Then, you must proceed to the tower in the middle of the forest, which is 10 kilometers from your current position. And you must do all this within two days time, or you fail!"

"_So that means… that half of the teams will automatically fail."_ Sakura concluded.

"This is going to be so easy!" Naruto shouted.

"You have no idea what you're talking about, you inept loser."

"Yeah, Sasuke! You always know exactly what's right."

"You're still annoying, Sakura."

"And the second exam starts… NOW!"

Just as soon as they had left the gate and began jumping from tree branch to tree branch, team 7 had to let off some steam.

"Man, that Haji guy really burns me up! Who does he think he is, talking down to us like that?!"

"You've finally said something that makes sense, dobe. However… there was something about him that was…"

"Was there something I missed?" Sakura asked.

"Didn't you see us talking to that White-haired ninja over by the fence?"

"Yeah, but who is he?"

"His name is Haji Ryumora, and he was a real jerk! He said that if he and Sasuke fought, Sasuke would die!"

"No way! No one can beat Sasuke! He's just too good." Sakura exclaimed.

"Quiet, Sakura. We're being followed." Sasuke warned.

"NOT FOR LONG!" Naruto said, as he turned around and threw a kunai behind them.

"No, Wait Naruto!"

Sasuke's command came too late. The kunai had already left Naruto's hand and was making its way toward their unwelcome visitor. The clang of steel striking steel signaled that the kunai had been deflected, and the visitor came into view.

"I guess the inexperienced Genin are on edge. But there is no need to be so hostile."

"It's Haji!"

"What are you doing here?!" Sasuke asked accusingly.

"It seems that my team has been disqualified and I'm here all alone… just the way I like it. But I decided that I would link up with you guys, since you show the most potential for growth."


	4. Haji's Secret: A deadly reunion

Chapter 4! tell me what you think.

**Haji's secret: A Deadly Reunion!**

"The most potential for growth?! What the hell does that mean?" Naruto yelled

"First off, I don't think that yelling is very beneficial to our situation right now. After all, we wouldn't want the other teams to know where we are. And second, I've been watching you guys for a very long time and I've seen your progress."

"So… how long have you been keeping an eye on us?"

"He's been watching us since the mission in the Land of Waves."

"Whoa, Sakura! Wait… how did you know that?" Naruto and Sasuke said in unison.

"She must have sensed my Chakra at some point during the mission. I have to admit that I'm impressed."

"Is that true, Sakura?"

"It is, Naruto. It was when we were training in the forest of chakra. That's when I first felt his chakra."

"Why didn't you tell Kakashi-Sensei?"

"He didn't seem like a threat, and besides, we had to worry about keeping Tazuna safe from Zabuza. And if you put that on top of the fact that we were training till our legs couldn't move, we would've been overwhelmed."

"Ok, that explains a lot. But I wonder… why are you really here, Haji Ryumora?"

"I'm here on a mission… to protect my father."

"Your father is here?! Where is he?"

"He's right here, under your very noses."

"Then why doesn't he show himself?!" Sasuke asked menacingly.

"The fact of the matter is that he can't… but I can take you to him."

"Wow, you can do that?!" Naruto said excitedly.

"Yes, but in order for the Jutsu to work, you must remain focused on keeping still."

"No problem, believe it!"

"Just shut up and concentrate dobe."

"**Ryumora Henge no Jutsu: Dragon's Eye!**"

In that instant, the world began spinning and changing. The sky became a filthy brown and green ceiling, while the rest of the world morphed into the supporting structure of what appeared to be a sewer. Naruto was the first to realize where Haji had taken them.

"Hey, what gives?! Why are we inside my mind?!" Naruto asked feverishly.

"There's no way… is it true Haji? Are we inside Naruto's mind?" Sakura asked.

"It is true. I used a secret forbidden Jutsu that only my family knew to get us here."

"It definitely suits the dobe… though he could clean it up a bit."

"Come on, we're wasting time… and I'd like to see my father. He's this way." Haji said, while sniffing the air.

After walking down one passage for a few minutes, Haji would sniff the air again, as if he could tell which direction his father's scent was coming from. He immediately turned to the right and motioned for the others to follow. Intrigued, Naruto decided to ask their new friend about it.

"So… I noticed that you were sniffing the air back there. What exactly were you doing?"

"I was searching for my father's scent. The Ryumora clan had Dragon blood flowing through their veins and as such we gained some abilities that lesser ninja could only dream of."

"What kind of abilities?" Sakura asked.

"They had enhanced senses of smell, hearing, and sight, and as the last member of that clan, I gain all the powers my ancestors' possessed."

"So… it's like the Sharingan! It's a kekkei genkai!"

"You catch on quickly, Uchiha! But the time for talk is over. We have arrived."

Towering over the four ninja, are two gigantic cage doors, which were held together by a seal.

"**Ahh… I see that I have a couple of visitors. Kit… who are they?"**

"Hey, Kyuubi! This is Sakura Haruno, Sasuke Uchiha, and…"

"Haji Ryumora… it is so good to see you…Father."

"What?!" the three Genin said, dumbfounded.

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surprise! How's That For a Twist?!


	5. A tale of the past: A new Foe Appears!

Chapter 5!! Reviews people i need reviews.

**A Tale of the Past: A New Foe Appears!**

"Wait… Kyuubi is your Father?! How is it possible?!" Naruto asked, confused.

**"It would probably help if I explained. 18 years ago, I saved a beautiful young woman from death. As we got to know each other, I had discovered that she was the last surviving member of the Ryumora Clan. It wasn't long before we fell in love, and as a result of our union, Haji was created. But then… 6 years later, I attacked the leaf village while under the influence of Madara uchiha. Haji's mother died in childbirth and as a result of the attack I was sealed inside this kid. Although, it seems that he has turned into a fine shinobi. And all on his own too. I am so proud of you, my son.**

"So, Naruto… this is why everyone left you alone. I never knew…"

"Its okay, Sakura-Chan, no one ever told me. I had to figure it out on my own. Apparently, it is a secret that no one can reveal."

"Actually, you can tell anyone you want, Naruto. It's the villagers who can't."

"Oh thanks, Haji. That information would have been useful years ago."

"Let's get back to the situation at hand, dobe. So Haji is the Kyuubis' son. So does that mean that he's a half-demon?"

"Yes… I am a half-demon. And I do have some of my father's strength."

"So that's why your Chakra felt so familiar! You have The Kyuubi's Chakra!"

"Only partially, but yes, my chakra is very similar to my fathers'. You must have been able to sense that, right Naruto?"

"Yeah!"

"So then… your mission is to protect the dobe, right?"

"Well, yes… but only because he is my father's container. Now that we've met my father, let's return to the real world."

"Ready when you are!" Naruto shouted

"Let's get it over with."

"**Release!"**

The sewer dissipated and color started to seep back into the world. Team 7 and Haji finally moved their bodies after what seemed like an eternity.

"Haji… we gotta get moving! The exam will be over soon!"

"No need to worry, Naruto. We still have plenty of time."

"Are you joking?! After all the time that jutsu took up?"

"It didn't take up any of our time, dobe."

"The Uchiha is right. Whenever I perform that jutsu, time stands still… for convenience. Still, we don't want to linger in one place too long, or the other teams may find us."

"_Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. Hm hm hm hm hm."_

"That voice! It can't be…"

"_It is good to see you again... Haji."_

Haji's theory soon became reality, as a figure emerged from the shadows cast by the trees.

"Orochimaru…"

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Uh oh...


	6. A titanic Battle: Haji's trump card!

hey, new chapter yaay! need reviews people. been working on bleach fan fiction.

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A Titanic Battle: Haji's Trump Card Revealed!**

"I can already see where this is going. Sasuke, Sakura, Naruto! Get out of here! Leave Orochimaru to me!"

The three genin needed no further instruction, as they immediately left for the tower.

"So… What are YOU doing here, Lord Orochimaru!? Has your Immortality Jutsu worn off?"

"_Quick-witted as always, Haji. I never expected to see you here though."_

"Same here, but life's got a funny way of changing things, doesn't it? Of course… you would know all about that, Orochimaru. After your curse seal failed to affect me and your immortality jutsu could not give you control over my body, you lost your best subordinate. How sad…"

"_It was a devastating loss, but I moved on. Although, managing the sound village has been a hassle ever since you left. But enough about my problems, I'm interested in seeing how much you've learned during the years you spent alone."_

"Getting right to the point, eh Orochimaru? I have to say that you're quite excitable today. But enough with the chit-chat, let's see what my old master has learned since our last encounter."

After a few moments of silence, Haji decided to make the first move. He charged forward with blinding speed, barreling into a surprised Orochimaru with his signature right hook, which was then followed by a crushing knee to the stomach. After Orochimaru failed to move for several seconds, Haji could sense that something wasn't right. And his suspicions were confirmed, when Orochimaru's body began to sag, his complexion turning to a muddy brown. The body then simply turned into mud, melting like ice cream in the summer sun.

Hiding behind one of the many trees that comprised the Forest of Death, Orochimaru silently began weaving the hand signs for the Striking Shadow Snake Jutsu, a technique that he had used many times before. Without uttering a single word, a brown snake thrust forth from Orochimaru's sleeve, making its way toward his unsuspecting opponent. But then, just as the snake got within striking distance, Haji whirled around, caught the snake, and hurled it and its alarmed master toward a giant tree stump. Orochimaru slid backward, his sandals grinding against the soft earth in a vain attempt to regain some sort of traction. Stopping just inches from the tree's stump, Orochimaru, who had been bending over, trying to use his hands to gain better traction when he was sliding, suddenly saw Haji's shadow, firmly stuck to the ground before him. He gazed upward, hearing Haji as he spoke, his eyes closed.

"You can't use that Substitution Jutsu effectively, it seems. Or maybe, I just saw right through it!" Haji said, his eyes opening to reveal their true power.

His eyes no longer resembled a human's. Instead, the pupils were only narrow slits, making them more feral and wild, like an animal. In addition, his eye color had changed from sky-blue to a greenish gold.

"_I see that you have finally managed to unlock your Kekkei Genkai. It is quite impressive if I do say so myself."_ He said with a patronizing tone of voice.

"Don't underestimate me, Orochimaru. As long as I have these eyes, I can see through all of your tricks."

"_Is that so? Well then, I guess I'll have to show you my true power."_

"Bring it on, Orochimaru! I can take anything you can dish out."

"_I can tell when you are bluffing, boy. And now you're finished! Summoning Jutsu!_

A Gigantic puff of smoke enveloped the battlefield, an after-effect of the Jutsu's use. Haji stood his ground, Confident and unafraid. When the smoke cleared, Haji saw that Orochimaru had risen into the air, and supporting him from underneath, was a gigantic purple snake.

"_Meet my ultimate servant! Manda, the king of snakes!"_ Orochimaru said triumphantly.

"**Why have you called me here, Orochimaru?!" **Manda yelled, clearly annoyed.** "Don't tell me that this one ninja is giving you this much trouble!"**

"Not the most obedient of them all is he, Orochimaru. Well, since you have decided to use your trump card against me, I think it's only fair that I show you mine! **Ryumora Henge No Jutsu: Half-Dragon Transformation!**


	7. Haji's Terrifying Transformation!

new chapter, yay! need reviews please.

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A Terrifying Transformation: A Dragon's True Strength!**

After weaving a few hand signs, Haji's arms and head fell limply against his chest. For several seconds, he just stood motionless in front of his enemy. But then… an aura of black Chakra began to twist and writhe around him, as if it were alive. And then... his arms suddenly started to shake, while the skin on his arms began bubbling. Several seconds passed, and the bubbles continued to increase in size and number. Then, without warning, Haji's arms exploded, the ground and trees around him soaked in fresh blood. Orochimaru began to laugh internally, assuming that his opponent's Jutsu was just a bluff, until… upon taking a closer look at Haji's arms, Orochimaru's eyes widened with horror.

Haji's arms had not been destroyed, like Orochimaru first thought. In fact, they had been changed. The pale white skin that once covered Haji's arms was now gone, replaced by blood-soaked dragon scales, which appeared to be red in color, but it was difficult to tell with immense amounts of blood running down the arms. Haji's hands had also changed, now looking alarmingly similar to an eagle's talons, with the fingernails formed into long, sharp claws. in addition, the ends of his elbows had become long, pointed bones that look sharp enough to pierce stone.

The next physical change to Haji's body was to his shoulders. Within an instant, they too exploded, spraying more blood on the ground. Some of the blood flew into Orochimaru's eyes, which he proceeded to wipe away. When he looked for Haji, his body had disappeared. After looking left and right in a vain attempt to find his opponent, he suddenly felt the urge to look toward the sky. Sure enough, Haji was there, hovering just above Orochimaru and Manda, being supported by the most powerful set of wings either had ever seen. The wings themselves resembled those of a bat; only these were far larger, and definitely more powerful. the leather that connected the wings to his back was strong and taut.

The third physical change was to Haji's legs, which became very muscular; so muscular in fact that everything below his knees was torn to shreds. The legs were also covered in red scales, much like his arms, and his feet began to grow too. they too were covered in scales, again the same color as the ones covering his arms and legs. as if to make the transformation even more complete, each toenail became a large, talon-like claw.

The final change came as a surprise to Orochimaru. after all this time, Haji had not once moved his head from it's position on his chest. then, suddenly and without warning, Haji's head shot up, his face pointed toward the sky. A blood-curdling scream broke the silence, and the black Chakra around Haji increased 10 fold in size. after several seconds, Haji's face slowly moved to gaze down at Orochimaru. Orochimaru could only watch in anticipation as Haji's eyes slowly opened, and when they did, Orochimaru experienced an uneasiness that he could identify in only one word; fear.

Without even uttering a single word, Haji vanished, only to reappear right in front of Manda's massive body. suddenly, his wings started pounding ferociously, and he shot up towards Manda's head with blinding speed. Haji brought his right fist back, preparing to strike with his true power. Manda, being the king of snakes, didn't even attempt to dodge the attack, for he could see it coming, even if Orochimaru could not. it was the greatest and last mistake that Manda would ever make. Haji struck the giant snake with his signature right hook, and Manda suddenly found himself falling backwards. Orochimaru jumped off at the last possible instant, grabbing a tree branch that stuck out a few feet above him, to avoid being crushed by the now-dead Manda. he stood on the branch, desperately trying to locate his opponent. Haji appeared right behind Orochimaru, their backs to each other, before he impaled his former master on one of his elbow spikes. in a low, growling voice, Haji told his dying opponent;

**"you fought well, for an imposter."**

the body then began to sag and melt, revealing a young girl of 14, a sound headband on her forehead.

**"Release!"**

with that command, Haji's body returned to normal, as did his eyes. as he surveyed the bodies before him, he had only one thought on his mind.

_"What are you up to, Orochimaru?"_


	8. Haji's Revelation

hey nother new chapter! need reviews.

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Haji's Revelation: The Sound Ninja Attack!**

For several minutes, Haji examined the body of his dead opponent. Orochimaru was just as clever now as he had been when he had been Haji's sensei. After a futile effort to identify the body, Haji suddenly collapsed, his body now experiencing the exhausting side-effects of his Ultimate Jutsu. Haji knew it would be a few minutes before he could move again. Using the last of his strength, Haji sat himself up against a tree, hoping to rest and think about the events that had just transpired while his body continued to heal itself.

"_Why would Orochimaru be here? He definitely didn't show up for just any reason, and I don't think he planned on finding me here. So what is his purpose for being here?"_

Several minutes passed, and just as his body ceased to heal itself, he found the answer.

"_Sasuke! That has to be his goal. He wants the power of the Sharingan! I've got to find those three now!"_

Immediately after his discovery, Haji began following the scent of the three Genin, hoping that he could get to them before Orochimaru did. But after only a few seconds, he realized that he would not be able to get to them in time with his current speed.

"I guess I have no choice. I'll have to use one of my Clan's Jutsu to gain the speed that is required."

Haji began by weaving several hand signs, before finally ending with the Tiger sign.

"**Ryumora Henge no Jutsu: Dragon Wings!"**

In an instant, the pair of dragon wings returned. Haji decided that he could cover more ground if he flew above the Forest, and so with one jump and a few flaps of his wings, Haji burst forth from the canopy, and immediately resumed following team 7's scent. Within moments, he found them, but there was a hitch. There were three sound ninja present as well. As he landed, Haji saw that they were fighting a young boy in a green spandex suit. The boy had huge eyebrows, and a bowl cut hair style. The boy seemed to be doing well on his own, until he suddenly collapsed, his hand holding one of his ears.

"This is bad."


	9. Transformation: the curse seal activated

new chapter, would like reviews please.

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Transformation: The Curse Seal Activated!**

After watching the fight between Leaf and Sound unfold, Haji suddenly realized that both Naruto and Sasuke were nowhere to be seen. Using his enhanced sense of smell, Haji was able to determine that both were resting in the hollow tree trunk that Sakura and Lee were protecting. Both did their best to hold off the three Sound ninja, but it was all in vain. Their enemy was just too strong. They were so strong that even Lee's Primary Lotus failed to bring them to their knees. But then, just as Haji decided to step in, he collapsed again, clutching the right side of his neck in pain.

"No, it can't activate now! There's no telling… what I'll do if it does!" Haji silently muttered to himself.

Haji fell face-down into the dirt, unable to cope with the pain. And just a few feet away, Sakura had done the same. It seemed as if the Sound ninja had won. But then… a gigantic aura of Chakra made its presence known on the battlefield. It came from about 30 feet away, and belonged to Haji; the aura blood-red in color. Haji's body was covered with red crescent-moon shaped marks. Haji decided to speak, while he made his way toward the confused and battered Sakura.

"Sakura… who did this to you? Who was it?!" he asked threateningly.

From a few feet away, one of the three Sound ninja boldly said, "That would be me!" Immediately, Haji turned to look at that one ninja, his pupils disappearing, his eyes glowing red with the fire of killer intent. In that instant, Haji's Chakra flared, growing with his determination. One of the other ninja thought to himself, _"His Chakra is too great… too powerful! We can't fight THAT!"_

The other ninja who had spoken earlier suddenly said, "Dosu, what's wrong? You're not getting cold feet, are ya?" in response, the other said, "No, Wait! Zaku, you don't understand!" evidently not discouraged by his comrade's fear, he spoke again, "watch this! I'll take them out in one fell swoop! Supersonic Slicing Wave!" a huge pressure wave followed those words, blanketing the battlefield with an unbearable rumbling sound. When the wave finally stopped, Sasuke, Naruto, Haji, and Sakura were gone, the ground where they once stood replaced with a huge crater.

"What do you know? Blew them all away!"

"**Not quite!"** was the bellowing response.

Zaku immediately felt the after-effects of Haji's Right Hook, which sent him reeling towards his comrade. He managed to stop only inches away from Dosu, while the latter spoke.

"Amazing, he got those three out of harm's way in the blink of an eye!"

Haji then began weaving hand signs, ending with the tiger seal. Then he yelled, **Fire Style: Dragon's Flaming Wall!** With those words, Haji opened his mouth and sprayed a wall of flame in front of him, which immediately sped toward Zaku just after being formed. Zaku used his slicing wave to blow away the flames, but Haji had a surprise waiting inside. Dosu desperately tried to warn his teammate by yelling; "Zaku, look out!"

Unfortunately for Zaku, the warning came too late. The slicing wave blew away the flames with no problem, but then Haji's surprise became visible. The sight horrified Zaku and in his shocked state, could only say; "in the flames! Dragon Claws!" before the projectiles pierced his flesh. Again, Dosu tried to warn his friend about the diversion, but it came too late. Haji had already appeared behind Zaku and pinned him, one foot against Zaku's back, while Haji held Zaku's arms firmly behind him.

"**You seem to be very proud of these arms of yours. You must feel very attached to them."** Haji said as he began to pull Zaku's arms.

"No, what are you doing?!" Zaku asked, as he began to understand fear.

From the sidelines, Naruto and Sasuke had woken up, and felt frozen in place at what they saw. Haji was smiling. But it wasn't a smile that indicated happiness. In fact, it was a sadistic smirk that had a similar feel to that of a madman. In the next instant, a blood-curdling crunch filled the air, and the genin's fear was amplified tenfold by what they witnessed. Haji had dislocated both of Zaku's shoulders by pulling his arms out of their sockets. Zaku fell to the ground, writing and screaming in excruciating pain. Then, Haji turned toward Dosu, who immediately began quivering in fear.

"**It looks like you're the only one left! I hope you prove to be more of a challenge than your friend did!" **Haji said as he began to walk towards his next victim. Naruto could not believe what he was seeing. It was almost as if the Kyuubi had taken over Haji's body, and was using it to wreak havoc. Then suddenly, Sasuke bolted forward, impacted Haji and prevented his stride forward. He yelled to Naruto; "Help me! I can't hold him down myself!"

At which point, Naruto ran forward, landed on Haji and grabbed his shoulders, while Sasuke pinned his legs. Haji struggled violently in an attempt to break free. At this point, Sakura woke up, surveyed the scene, and immediately went over to Haji, pleading with him to stop. After a few tense moments of silence and a glare from Haji, the marks that covered his body disappeared, along with the curse mark on his back, never to return. Haji collapsed, his body devastated by the unexpected transformation.

Dosu began walking toward Zaku and picked him up, along with the kunoichi. Then he started walking towards the Genin, who immediately took a defensive stance around Haji, ready to defend him to the death. But, instead of attacking, Dosu simply laid a scroll in front of them. Then, he said; "tell your friend when he wakes up, that, for the moment, we're even. But if we should ever cross paths again, we won't run or hide." And with that, he disappeared.

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for the transformation, think of Inuyasha in his Full-Demon form.


	10. The Ultimate Showdown, Part 1

Hey new chappy! Yay! Need reviews

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The Ultimate Showdown Part 1: Half-breed VS the Terror of Sand **

Haji woke to a blinding light, squinting his eyes as they adjusted. After a few minutes, he realized that he wasn't in any pain. Even more peculiar was the place where he awoke. For some reason, he was inside the tower, the final destination of the 2nd exam, and leaning over him were none other than Sakura and Naruto. They had a look of relief on their faces, though the reason for such expressions escaped Haji, at least for the moment.

"Feeling better, Sleepyhead?"

"Naruto, don't be so loud! He just woke up!"

"Jeez Sakura, I'm not the one who's yelling."

They seemed to be fighting, again. Haji wondered how their sensei had come to possess such an ill-matched and divided team. Finally, he decided to speak out.

"If you're worried about me, don't be. I'm fine. So, did we pass the second exam?"

"HELL YEAH!" Naruto exclaimed, immediately getting bashed on the head by Sakura.

"DIDN"T I TELL YOU TO NOT BE SO LOUD?!"

Haji did not intend to let this fighting continue, and was about to scold them both, when he noticed that both Naruto and Sakura had some cuts and bruises on their arms, although Naruto's were less in number.

"Where did you get those wounds?"

Haji feared that his question had a complex answer, and so Naruto and Sakura began to retell the events after Haji's collapse in the forest of death. An hour passed, and Haji, his wounds fully healed, finally managed to stomach everything that had happened while he was out cold.

"So, Naruto has beaten Kiba, and Sakura tied with Ino. I have to say that I'm impressed. By the way, where is Sasuke?"

"He's under Kakashi-sensei's watch. We don't know where either of them are." Sakura stated.

"Let's get back to the Arena; I don't want to miss the next match!" Naruto said eagerly.

Naruto and Sakura took the lead, with Haji following closely behind. After a few seconds, they found the arena, a tiled rectangular room with balconies on each side, about 5 feet from the ground. The three shinobi took the staircase on the right, taking their place between Kurenai's team and Guy's team.

"And now, the next match will be… Gaara VS Haji Ryumora! Contestants, Enter the arena!"

"_Whoa, bad luck for Haji, he has to fight THAT guy."_ Kiba thought.

"THIS is going to be fun!" Haji said excitedly.

"Wait, you're not afraid of that guy?!" Naruto asked, obviously confused.

"I have nothing to fear from him."

"And why is that?" Kakashi asked, as he appeared behind the trio.

"Because, I've fought him before."

And with those words, Haji vanished, reappearing in the middle of the arena, ready to face the Terror from Sand known as Gaara. Gaara appeared in the arena as well, in a whirlwind of sand.

"It's been a long time, Gaara."

"Don't keep me waiting." Gaara said with a chilling tone.

"Begin!" shouted the Procter

Haji immediately charged forward, advancing toward his opponent like a starving animal might attack its prey. And Gaara just stood there, solid as a rock. Haji cocked his right arm back, and when he was just about a foot away from Gaara, he let his fist fly. No one was surprised when Sand flew from the gourd on Gaara's back, forming a shield to defend him before he was ever hit. The sand turned solid, and everyone expected that Haji's attack had failed, until… they all heard a loud smack and saw Gaara careening back toward the west wall.

As the dust of the impact settled, Gaara stood, uninjured. But a look of eccentric surprise was plastered on his face.

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?" He asked menacingly.

"It was simple, really. When I was charging toward you, I was filling my fist with chakra. When my fist made contact with your sand shield, I released all of the Chakra in my fist, making the impact several times stronger than normal. I also have my ancestors to thank. You see, Gaara, within my body flows the blood of a Dragon, and that blood makes my chakra unnaturally powerful, about 4 times more powerful than the average ninja. If you had been facing a regular ninja, that punch would not have gotten through.

"So, you're a freak, like me."

"I prefer to call myself unique."

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Part 2 will be up soon


	11. The Ultimate Showdown Part 2

Another chapter, finally! sorry about the wait. Damn School work

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The Ultimate Showdown Part 2: End Game**

Gaara slowly regained his composure and returned to the center of the ring. It was plainly obvious that Haji had the upper hand. But it didn't seem to faze Gaara in the slightest. Haji reassumed his fighting stance, making sure that he had no openings to offer. After all, he knew that if his opponent got in even one blow, it could be fatal.

Then something happened that surprised everyone, Haji included. Gaara began screaming, and clutched his head in what seemed to be pain. The sand that surrounded him began to envelop his body, transforming the right side of his body into… well; Haji wasn't exactly sure what it was. It looked like a cross between a dog and a raccoon. He even grew a tail to match.

"Well, now things are getting interesting." Haji said to himself. As if in response to Gaara's transformation, Haji removed his armor and boots, which promptly fell onto the tile floor. Both created a deep depression in the ground when they landed. Underneath his armor was a black body suit, similar in design to Lee's.

Within the next instant, Haji vanished, reappearing a split second later, behind Gaara. Before his opponent had time to react, Haji began delivering a series of brutal punches and kicks, all while moving at an incredible speed. The individual blows didn't do much on their own, but it was the speed at which they were being delivered that caused Gaara to take some serious damage.

"He's… so fast!" Naruto yelled.

"How did he get so quick?" Sakura wondered.

"_It appears that Haji uses the same training tactics that I do."_ Lee thought.

After many blow, Gaara lashed out, desperately trying to find his opponent. And unfrotunately for haji, gaara's blow found his mark. He flew back, impacting the same wall that he'd forced gaara to hit earlier. He got right back up of course, but he was definitely getting weaker, and consequently, slower. He was panting heavily, a sign that his body was losing it's ability to continue moving at such high speed.

"_my body… it's slowing down! I have to end this now!"_

"YOU ARE MY PREY!!" Gaara yelled.

"Well, this "Prey" is going to end this battle now. ** EARTH STYLE: CRYSTAL ARMOR!**"

Haji's body became enveloped in an armor made of pure crystal and with the way the light shone off of it, it looked as if his armor was made of the colors of the rainbow.

"This armor will give me enough strength for one final blow, and that's all I need."

With those words, both fighters charged. Haji cocked back his right fist, and gaara, his left. When they got close enough to spit on each other, both struck. A billowing cloud of dust sprang from nowhere and concealed every thing.

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so, who do YOU think won?


	12. The Battle's Conclusion

hi guys new chapter, Finally! please leave plenty of reviews.

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**The Battle's Conclusion!**

As the dust slowly settled, the tension mounted. Every ninja present was completely focused on learning the outcome of the fight. Eventually, the shadows of two figures, standing in the middle of the arena, started to become more detailed. There, Gaara and Haji stood, face to face, each panting heavily at the other. As more of the dust settled, the damage slowly became easier to see. Gaara, no longer transformed, had multiple bruises, along with a broken arm. But everyone could see that Haji was even worse off. His right arm hung limply by his side, and there was a massive laceration on his left side. The blood from that wound had already formed a small pool at his feet.

"Gaara... take this."

In Haji's hand was a letter, signed by the hokage. Blood had dampened the crumpled paper, and as a result, had torn in a few places. Gaara looked at it with a suspicious eye, but took it anyway.

"What is it?" Gaara whispered.

"It's a letter, which con...tains information regarding your father... the KazeKage. It also explains... the true objective of... your so called ally, Orochimaru."

With that, Haji promptly collapsed, hitting the ground with a soft thud. As Gaara gazed at his fallen opponent, he realized that there was no longer any need to kill him. It wasn't because his opponent was weak, or not worth the time. Haji had fought and given his all, not to kill him, but to fight to the very best of his ability. In addition, Haji had never once shown fear or disgust while in his presence, like so many others had. Instead, he respected Gaara, not just as a fighter, but as a fellow Shinobi.

**"The winner... is Gaara!" **the judge bellowed, as Gaara made his way back to the balcony, bloody letter in hand.

The medical team arrived soon afterward, and, after hauling him off to the sidelines, began to tend to his wounds. Kakashi appeared, helping where he could. When he returned, he found his team waiting patiently to hear about Haji's condition.

"So... How is he, Kakashi? Is he going to be alright?" Sakura asked nervously.

"I'm not sure, Sakura. The doctors say it'll take a few weeks for him to recover."

"Why so long? Doesn't he have some kind of healing ability?" Naruto asked.

"He does, Naruto. But it appears that Haji is suffering from ECD, or Extreme Chakra Depletion. Even though his wounds are superficial, it'll be a while before he can fight again."

"I see..."


End file.
